Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2015
577. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which oil, gas, and other exploration licences have been activated on a monthly basis over the past six years; the degree to which viable or commercial results have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39598/15]
View answerThe following table outlines the exploration licences issued by my Department over the past six years. Details of all authorisations granted by my Department are published on my Department's website on a quarterly basis and can also be found in the six monthly reports to the Oireachtas, which I am obliged to lay before the Houses under the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999 and the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960, respectively. The last such reports were in respect of the six-month period ending 30 June 2015. These reports are also available on my Department's website at www.dcenr.gov.ie.
|
Year |
Petroleum Exploration Licences Issued |
Prospecting Licences (Minerals) Issued |
|
2010 |
0 |
93 |
|
2011 |
2 |
98 |
|
2012 |
0 |
102 |
|
2013 |
5 |
142 |
|
2014 |
6 |
71 |
|
2015 (to 31 October) |
0 |
60 |
|
Total |
13 |
566 |
There have been no commercial discoveries of oil or gas within the territory of the State in the last six years. Ireland, however, has witnessed a positive upswing in the level of petroleum exploration activity in recent years, in particular acquisition of new seismic data and the record number of applications received in the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round. We need to see this translate into an increased level of exploration drilling in the coming years, if Ireland’s true petroleum potential is to be realised.
In a similar manner, while the number of active mineral prospecting licences, currently in excess of 550 licences, indicates the positive prevailing state of mineral exploration in Ireland, no new commercially viable deposits of minerals have been discovered during this period. While there have been some encouraging results, particularly in Counties Limerick and Clare, it is too early to determine whether these results will lead to identification of commercially viable deposits.
